The pairing and contradiction inherent in those emotions is explored in “Noon at Dusk,” a new chamber-music opera by the University of California San Diego’s kallisti ensemble.

The adventurous ensemble was founded by UC San Diego music professor Susan Narucki. She is the director-producer of “Noon at Dusk,” which premieres this week. The work was created by composer Stephen Lewis, a UC San Diego doctoral graduate, and librettist Yi Hong Sim, who is completing her doctorate here.

kallisti ensemble’s “Noon at Dusk”

Tickets: General admission $15; UC San Diego faculty, staff and alumni $10.50; students with ID Free

Phone: (858) 534-3448

Online: kallisti-ensemble.com

“Steve and Yi say that ‘Noon at Dusk’ is emblematic of their generation and the choices people have to make a living,” Narucki said. “I think those choices have been in place for all generations. I think the opera follows the possibility of love and what it can open up for you, and what you choose to leave behind.”

Narucki, a 2000 Grammy Award winner, toured the world as an opera singer for 25 years before coming to San Diego. After joining the UC San Diego staff in 2008, she established kallisti. The ensemble’s goals are to present mostly new or rarely performed pieces, to give opportunities to composers for the voice, and to provide students high-quality performing experiences.

“Noon at Dusk” examines how outside pressures affect the relationships of two couples: Eliot and Annelise, and Daniela and Lisha. The cast features sopranos Kirsten Ashley Wiest, Hilary Young, Tiffany Du Mouchelle and Ashley Cutright, and baritones Jonathan Nussman and UCSD music professor Philip Larson.

Dana Sadava, Pasadena Opera’s artistic director, conducts the orchestra, which is also a combination of veteran and up-and-coming musicians.

“There are enormous benefits to mixing professionals and students together in the same production,” Sadava said. “The students grow tremendously because they are stretched by the challenge of working alongside experienced professors. The pros are feeding off the students’ energy and demonstrating how to conduct oneself in a professional situation. There’s a very collaborative energy in the room.”

Despite — or perhaps because of — the boundary-pushing nature of kallisti’s productions, its concerts usually play to full houses. “We have been fortunate that they have sold out,” Narucki said. “One reason is that the theater is 150 seats, so it’s very intimate. Magic happens when the audience is in close proximity to living chamber-opera performers.

“We have really talented singers, who have worked professionally already. They are at a very high level. We try to create innovative pieces that incorporate technical aspects in interesting ways. We’ve attracted a nice following. It’s important to us to reach beyond the campus. We see ourselves as part of the San Diego arts community. We want to be a piece of that puzzle.”

In deciding which chamber opera to do each year — kallisti has presented at least one a year since 2010 — Narucki often has tough choices to make. In deciding to produce “Noon,” she used a tried-and-true method.

“Gut instinct,” she said with a laugh. “Steve had served as pianist in my studio. He came to me almost three years ago. He was very nervous and finally said: ‘I really want to write an opera. Would you want to do it?’ I listened to the story he had in mind. My gut instinct said he’d be able to do it.

“Writing opera is a huge undertaking. I told him that we’d have to set deadlines and he’d have to establish a good working relationship with the group. Every single thing was met. It’s a moving and beautiful piece.”